Reading don't fix no chevys

In all honesty, this book seemed like a very long winded way of saying that just because a boy doesn't do well in school (primarily english/reading courses) that he is not necessarily illiterate.  They did make an assertion that I do agree with wholly.  The ego does play a huge part in the development of a male, so suffice it to say that  it plays a huge part in their literacy development.  Every guy I know who talks frankly about the male ego (and not in a joking or condescending way) say that he needs his ego stroked for him to feel like he can take on tasks bigger than himself, whether it is running a multibillion dollar business or reading a book.  Gendered tasks also played a big role in the development of literacy in that the "female gendered" tasks (ie. cooking) required a defense from the male student who enjoyed doing it where as the "male gendered" tasks (ie. rapping) did not require a defense.

Learning to write

Sorry this is so overdue, it's been one of those weeks (last week that is) that the only upside is that it is finally over.

it is interesting to me that the dynamic of schooling has changed so drastically and yet, we still have areas that are considered bad school districts.  Suddenly the ability to write isn't just the end of education, but the least a person can do.  My nephew is 4 years old and his mother is teaching him to write names and count to 100 before he starts kindergarten.  I wonder why society keeps changing the standards of education so much, to the detriment of the people who are on the lower end.  Not that I am opposed to the idea of higher education (hence the college attendance) but what is it that is changing so much that the education of the early 1900's is no longer effective.  Is it because of the focus on business and technology and the lack of agricultural emphasis?  Is it the fact that the median income has changed so drastically that both mom AND dad have to be in the workforce to make ends meet and thereby need to have the education of more than how to run your household?  Is it because women decided they would take a liberated stance, and from then on Men and Women have competed with one another to get the upper hand?  I just don't know.

I often wonder what it is my children and grandchildren are going to be learning that makes what I am learning now completely obsolete.